Marsha Riddle
Coskie,
Robinson,
Kathy
Egawa, editors
F R O Buly,
M T H ETracy
C OAC H
E S ’ C O RLeAnne
N E R | What
Is a Literacy
Coach
page
F R O M T H E C OA C H E S ’ C O R N E R
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What Is a Literacy Coach?
T
his is an exciting, and perhaps
somewhat intimidating, time for
teachers in the middle. It is a time
when teachers are being asked to open
their classroom doors to someone called
the “literacy coach.” You might be asking, what exactly is a literacy coach? We
have asked the same question, and are
wondering further: Who makes a great
coach? Do all coaches do the same thing?
And why are so many districts adding
coaching to their professional development support? These are questions we
will address over the next two years.
We hope this column will be helpful to all teachers who find themselves acting as literacy coaches
Experienced SCRI regional coaches address the questions of a new
cohort of literacy coaches. Left to right: Trina Randle, Marie Crawford,
Patti Hunnicut, and Becca Driggers.
in classrooms across the country as well as the
teachers with whom they collaborate. As middle
level educators deeply connected to schools and
school districts, we have been bombarded with
questions on this topic. Those questions started
us on a quest to find out more about the roles of
adolescent literacy coaches, qualifications for effective coaches, the learning journeys of everyone
involved, and the impact that might be attributable to literacy coaching.
We are very aware that literacy coaching has
been defined in multiple ways and that coaching
models have manifested themselves into very different practices. Our focus will be on coaching
models of a collegial nature, where the primary
role of the coach is to support teachers to become
more reflective, to refine what they are doing, to
set goals, and to share with another their least successful instructional attempts. This model requires
that coaches take a non-evaluative, respectful role
in order for trust to develop. Carol Lyons and Gay
Su Pinnell, in their book Systems for Change in Literacy Education: A Guide to Professional Development
(Heinemann, 2001), identify trust as one of the
critical factors in this kind of professional development.
Our early research shows that teachers and
coaches are willing to talk candidly about their
experiences. This is not a surprise, as we’re focusing on districts that have built the kind of coaching model where disclosure is part of daily practice. The learning steps of both the teachers and
of the coaches are openly shared with one another,
and it is assumed that “making mistakes” is part of
the learning process. Coaches play the role of “lead
learner in a community of learners,” rather than
experts with all the answers.
Voices from the Middle, Volume 12 Number 1, September 2004
Copyright © 2004 by the National Council of Teachers of English. All rights reserved.
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F R O M T H E C OAC H E S ’ C O R N E R | What Is a Literacy Coach
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The vignettes we will share come from systems with varying experiences and configurations.
One district is moving into its third year with
middle school literacy coaches and its second year
with high school coaches. A second district is
building from its strong primary grades coaching
model as it begins the first year of middle level
coaching this fall. A third program is nested within
the South Carolina Reading Initiative (SCRI), a
statewide literacy initiative that has embraced
coaching at its core.1 Experienced SCRI middle
grades coach, Marie Crawford, offers us a first visual look at what a coach is and is not [see Figure 1].
Our plan is to end this column series with a
focused analysis of the results of these efforts to
illustrate the impact of coaching initiatives on
teachers, students, and school systems. We look
forward to hearing your questions and concerns
so that you can help guide our exploration and
the content of this new column. We would love to
hear stories from your school’s coaching model if
they can add new perspectives to this endeavor.
Contact us at [email protected].
In The New Meaning of Educational Change
(Teachers College Press, 1991), Michael Fullan
laments, “Nothing has promised so much and has
been so frustratingly wasteful as the thousands of
workshops and conferences that led to no significant change in practice when teachers returned to
their classrooms.” Coaching has the potential to
be powerful in ways that isolated workshops, criticized by Fullan and others, have not. Coaching
for reflective teaching takes place in the classrooms
of real teachers with real kids and occurs on an
ongoing basis. We look forward to a continued
conversation with you as coaching enters more
middle school classrooms.
For more information about SCRI, see http://www.ncte.
org/profdev/onsite/readinit/groups/110385.htm.
1
One who trains
intensively by
instruction,
demonstration,
and practice
↓
A Small
Group
Tutor
is not
is
SCRI-MG
Literacy
Coach
is
↓
↓
is not
↓
is not
is
example
example
↓
non-example
non-example
non-example
↓
Substituting
for a Sick L A
Teacher
Evaluating
the
Performance of
a Teacher
↓
Conferring
with a Teacher
↓
Demonstrating
in Classrooms
Observing
in
Classrooms
↓
↓
“Fixing”
a
Teacher
Figure 1. Graphic definition of literacy coach
Voices from the Middle, Volume 12 Number 1, September 2004
60_61VM_Sept04
61
A
Facilitator
A Supporter
of
Classroom
Instruction
example
A Substitute
Teacher
↓
A Learner
↓
↓
A Writer of
Curriculum
Maps
Dictionary Definition
of Coach
8/9/04, 6:50 PM
61
Do’s and Don’ts for
Literacy Coaches:
Advice from the Field
Rita Bean, Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Diane DeFord, Professor, University of South Carolina
Literacy or instructional coaches are becoming
increasingly important in schools at all grade levels
(kindergarten through grade 12). Because this is a
growing professional leadership role, there is a new
excitement about possible improvements to literacy
instruction and increases in student achievement
that may result from having formalized, in-school
leadership. According to the International Reading
Association (IRA) and the National Council of
Teachers of English (NCTE), literacy coaches are
assuming a range of complex tasks within schools.
They participate in instructional planning, assist in
assessment of students, and spend a substantial amount
of time coaching—observing, demonstration teaching,
and talking to teachers about instruction (www.literacy
coachingonline.org).
Many coaches enjoy their new role and find
that teachers are receptive and eager to benefit from
the support they receive. At the same time, given
the newness of this role, and the different ways that
coaches are viewed—by teachers, administrators, and
even school board members—coaches are eager to
get as much information as they can about how to
perform their role effectively. The intent of this brief is
to provide ideas that have come from the field—from
coaches themselves who have learned “on the job.”
Some of these coaches work in elementary schools,
others in middle or high schools. The information was
obtained from studies that we have done and from
informal interviews that we conducted with coaches
at various levels—primary, intermediate, middle, and
high school. In this brief, we share with readers ideas
that we hope will help all coaches, but especially the
new coach, to work effectively in a school.
What’s Important to Do!
Introduce yourself and your role (Tell AND
Show). Although many coaches understand the
importance of explaining what the position is and is
not, an introduction at one meeting is often not enough.
New coaches should probably take a few minutes to
talk at a faculty meeting AND distribute a short flyer
outlining their responsibilities, contact information,
and availability. However, follow-up meetings with
individual faculty or groups of faculty, perhaps grade
level or subject specific, provide an opportunity for
interaction and discussion. These follow-up meetings
provide teachers with the chance to learn more about
how the coach can support their work in the classroom
AND provide the coach with a better sense of the
teachers and their interests and needs. Teachers need
to understand how they might work with a coach and
what the benefits might be.
1
Work with all teachers. A coach needs to make
sure that teachers and administrators understand that
he or she is there to assist in improving instruction for
ALL students; therefore, it is important to support all
teachers. One of the quickest ways to reduce teacher
interest in working with a coach is for teachers to think
the coach is there to “fix them up”—as if they are not
doing their jobs or are considered to be weak. This FIXIT APPROACH breeds fear, resentment and resistance.
Coaches who find themselves in this predicament have
a difficult time working as a colleague with teachers.
DO: I have learned to assume that two people are
not talking about the same thing just because they are
using the same language. —Shannon Toole, Literacy Coach,
Ballenetine Elementary School, SC
Work first to establish a relationship of trust.
Almost every coach with whom we have worked has
made this statement in some form or another: you
have to develop a good relationship with teachers—
otherwise you cannot be successful as a coach. When
we ask coaches to give us specific examples, they
identify the following:
Listen carefully. When coaches listen more
and talk less, they let teachers know that they value
teachers’ thoughts and opinions, and that they will
try to understand teachers’ questions and concerns.
Relationships are built as people talk together, share
ideas and experiences, and over time, learn to understand
and respect each other. Listening also allows the coach
to explore the variety of experiences, perspectives, and
talents that each teacher brings to the community that
the coach and teacher are building together.
Maintain confidentiality. Coaches who talk about
DO: Help teachers stop and reflect on what they are
teaching. Coaches help teachers open doors through
which we walk together. —Judy Berg, Literacy Coach,
J.P. McCaskey High School, School District of Lancaster,
Lancaster, PA
what they have seen in classrooms or what they think
about a specific teacher will not be welcomed as a
colleague. Coaches must maintain confidentiality, not
only in talking with other teachers, but also in their
conversations with administrators. Coaches who are
seen as a “snitch” have difficulty convincing teachers
that they are there as colleagues to support instruction.
Word spreads quickly!
Begin with those who want to work with you.
Although we have indicated above that it is important
to work with all teachers, the coach who is new to the
job should begin by working with teachers who request
support. By doing this, the coach can gain a sense of
self-confidence (I can do this!); moreover, word is
likely to spread that “coaching doesn’t hurt.” Good
initial experiences—for coach and teachers—generally
lead to requests from other teachers.
Work from teachers’ agendas. Although one of
a coach’s responsibilities may be to assist teachers in
implementing a specific curriculum or strategy, there
are many ways to accomplish this goal. Look for
teachers’ strengths, find out about their interests, or the
questions they may want to explore. If teachers choose
or self-select the aspect of instruction or curriculum to
be addressed, follow-through and lasting change are
more likely.
Be positive. If you seek to encourage conversations
and support teachers in taking risks, they are more
willing to try new ideas and practices. Coaches tell
us that it is important to keep judgments out of the
conversation! When trying something new, teachers
need to reflect and evaluate possibilities, and through
dialogue, receive affirmation and confirmation about
actions taken and results achieved. This process helps
them sort through what is working and what is not,
and sets them up for their next steps. Honest praise,
thoughtful response, and supportive feedback build
stronger relationships.
Follow-through. Teachers in one school who were
asked to give feedback to their coach indicated that
they avoided working with her because often she did
not follow-through on a commitment, e.g., to meet, to
be in the classroom at a specific time, OR to provide
materials or resources. What we learned was that
often this coach was called away to attend meetings
or to assist the principal with some administrative
responsibility. Once the coach informed her principal
about teachers’ concerns, the principal modified his
actions and reduced his dependency on the coach
to assume these administrative tasks. This coach, of
course, was fortunate that her administrator was willing
2
to listen to the teachers and their concerns—and willing
to change.
DO: Fulfill promises and follow through. Teachers
are already giving up their prep time to meet with me,
so a coach who fails to show up will break any trust
established between coach and teacher. —David Cohn,
Literacy Coach,William Penn High School, School District of
Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Work with your administrator. Anytime we
meet with coaches, we are told the importance of
having a good working relationship with the principal.
Coaches say that the principal must understand what
the coach’s role is—and isn’t. The coach is not a “semiadministrator” who is there to evaluate the work of
teachers. A written job description helps—insist on
it. Such a description should be one that is agreed
upon district-wide to provide for consistency across
schools; it also promotes support at the district level.
Sometimes the coach has to write the job description
and then provide it for administrators to review. A
job description should include a statement about the
collegial, supportive role of the coach in improving
instructional practice.
Second, the coach must keep the principal
informed about what is going on relative to improving
literacy instruction. For some coaches, informing means
a daily or weekly meeting. Other coaches indicate that
they interact via email or written reports but meet
occasionally to talk about specific issues or challenges.
The approach to communication differs, depending on
the principal. But as one principal indicated, “I think
about the big picture, but my coach keeps me apprised
about the details. She reminds me about what I need to
do to support my teachers in their job.” What is critical
is that the principal is aware—and supportive—of the
work of the coach.
When there are difficulties—and there most likely
will be—the coach needs the support of the principal.
In some schools, coaches have experienced difficulties
because of contractual issues: Can coaches actually
observe teachers without being invited, etc.? Or the
coach, principal, and a teacher may need to sit together
to talk about a specific issue. With administrative
support and understanding, the coach is NOT isolated
and will have opportunities to facilitate change in the
school.
Recognize—and appreciate—differences in
teachers and how they work. Successful coaches
tell us that, just as one acknowledges differences in
students, coaches need to recognize and celebrate
differences in teachers. Coaches must be flexible and
adjust what they do, depending on needs, interests,
and the personalities of teachers. Some teachers want
the coach to serve as a resource, providing materials,
ideas, or suggestions, in an informal manner. Others
value the coach as a peer, working collaboratively to
problem-solve issues related to specific students and
instructional strategies. Some teachers actually want
the coach to serve as an expert, providing information
about various instructional or curricular notions. And
a few want the coach to serve as a “sounding board,”
someone who just sits and listens to their concerns.
But as one literacy coach indicated, “Depending on
a specific situation, teachers will want to work in
different ways.” It is important, then, to remember that
with the same teacher, a coach may serve as an expert,
and then at a later date, work collaboratively to discuss
a specific problem that has arisen.
Recognize your own beliefs and attitudes about
teaching and learning. Just as teachers differ in how
they approach teaching and learning, so do coaches.
Each coach must be cognizant of his or her own beliefs
and acknowledge that these beliefs can influence
how the coach interacts with teachers who may have
different classroom management styles or instructional
approaches. As one coach acknowledged, “I like a very
structured, organized classroom. But there are teachers
who can function without that structure. I’m not
looking to clone myself.” At the same time, the coach
must support and help to enact a vision about literacy
instruction as he or she coaches. While this vision is
most likely one that has been determined by the school,
it is further shaped by the school community; at the
same time, coaches often influence how the vision is
achieved. Each year brings new emphases that clarify
or extend this vision. Each coach needs to assess his or
her own shifts in beliefs and attitudes about teaching
and learning as the collaborations across participants
deepen.
3
Establish priorities. A coach has many
Document your work. Given the relative newness
responsibilities and duties that need to be accomplished of coaching and the lack of extensive empirical evidence
in a set period of time. The coach needs to determine about its effectiveness, it is critical that coaches keep
what is more important in terms of influencing teacher track of what they are doing and with whom they are
practice and student achievement. In other words, a working. Keeping a log that summarizes the day’s work
coach needs to decide how to best spend the day. As helps when the administration or school board begins to
one coach stated, “What will give me the best bang for question the value of coaching or its cost-effectiveness.
my buck?”
Taking time to reflect on what a coach has done can also
provide the coach with insights to guide future work
Let the data lead! Often the entry into the with teachers.
teacher’s world is gained by thinking about the students
in that classroom. By using work samples, teachers’ What’s Important to Avoid (The Don’ts)
observations, and results from various assessment
measures, the coach and teacher can think about what
Don’t evaluate teachers. Most books on coaching
the students know and where they are experiencing rightly contain a caution against coaches serving in an
difficulties. The question becomes, “What can we do evaluative role. In other words, coaches should not
together that will help students learn more effectively be writing a formal assessment of what they have
in this classroom?” In other words, data can lead the seen in the classroom nor should they be reporting
coach and teacher to think about materials, activities, to administrators what they have seen in individual
and instruction that better meets the needs of students. classrooms. Evaluation can become an issue when the
principal does not understand the role of the coach or
Be a learner. Most coaches are teachers, and as when the coach, himself or herself, does not have a
such, they are on an equal plane with teachers in their clear understanding of how detrimental such behavior
buildings. We have found that holding a collaborative can be. Most often, the coaches with whom we talk do
stance with teachers requires that a coach BE a learner— not want to serve in such a capacity; they recognize
many situations arise in which the coach really does that such behavior limits teachers’ acceptance of them
not know exactly what to do. Working side-by-side in and their role. Coaches have told us that they have been
honest inquiry with teachers encourages all participants asked to observe with principals (and then talk about
to share, to reflect, to stretch, and to consider multiple what they have seen). They have also been asked to
possibilities before making decisions. When problems sit in on administrators’ post-observation conferences
arise, the group discusses them, considers different with weak teachers. Often, these principals indicate
perspectives, and establishes priorities or possible that they include the literacy coach because the literacy
solutions. Coaches tell us that this “tentative” stance coach has the necessary knowledge and skills to help
allows for a greater level of group participation, fosters a teacher improve. We believe that a better way of
higher levels of engagement during professional handling this type of situation is for the principal
development sessions, and ensures that teachers own to indicate to the teacher (after observing) that the
the process and the solutions (consensus building). principal has some concerns and to suggest to the
Together, we build new knowledge and extend our teacher that working with the coach might be a way of
understandings toward common goals.
enhancing instruction. The teacher should then be the
one to contact the coach.
DO: Acknowledge and celebrate strengths. Ask for selfevaluation. Get consensus on what might help and don’t
be afraid to get in there and demonstrate. —Linda Scott,
former Reading Recovery Teacher Leader, Lucasville, OH
Don’t fall into the trap of acting like the
“Expert!” If literacy coaches are to improve the
instructional capacity in a building, they must work
collaboratively with teachers. When coaches are
viewed as the “experts,” they alone are charged to
find the answers or solve the problems, and given
the complexity and challenges in education, there is
4
seldom one right answer. Moreover, teachers are less of the closet” and talk about what went wrong or what
likely to accept and use the solution proposed by the they are having problems with in their classrooms. But
coach, nor will they have a complete understanding for those who find reflection hard, or for those who may
of the solution. To the degree possible, coaches must become defensive, it is better to work through the needs
establish themselves as colleagues who are working of students and encourage reflection or self-evaluation
with teachers to solve the educational problems in that as a way to start the conversation.
building or classroom. So, although coaches have high
levels of expertise, their primary responsibility is to use
Don’t sweat the small stuff! A coach may
that expertise to help all involved develop solutions or worry about many small problems, from a teacher
options that address instructional issues.
grumbling about the fact that he has to attend an after
school workshop that has no relevance to him or to the
Don’t jump in and expect immediate change. fact that the schedule for state testing has disrupted
Many coaches begin to feel “burnout” in the first coaching plans. Coaches should not be concerned with
semester in which they start coaching teachers. Once conditions that they cannot change or with insignificant
they stand back and gain a bit of perspective, they matters that can overpower more significant ones.
realize they have been pushing on too many different Moreover, coaches should not take these troubles home
fronts because they want to make change happen but should leave them at school.
immediately. Most research on educational innovation
Although individual coaches might contribute
indicates that change takes time—as much as four to more “Do’s and Don’ts,” this initial list includes
five years. So a coach can take a deep breath, slow
down, and celebrate individual, small steps toward an
DON’T: Take it personally. There may be some
overall vision.
negativity when you are just beginning; it takes time to
Don’t be invisible. After a coach has helped
people understand his or her varied roles, the coach
should be available and visible to perform them. One
coach suggested that the coaches’ office should be
near a busy location as coaching opportunities are
more likely to happen when the coach is nearby rather
than at the end of a very long hallway at the farthest
end of the building. Another coach felt that regular
communication, follow-up visits, and email were
critical to building community and trust.
build rapport and get your message out there. We have
really moved along since last year! —Angelae Dexheimer,
Literacy Coach, Scranton High School, Scranton School
District, Scranton, PA
many important ideas that coaches in the field have
highlighted as critical. They emphasize that coaching
is a collegial, collaborative process. Most importantly,
they remind us that this important role requires that
coaches and teachers work together towards a common
Don’t avoid the tough issues. If something is goal, that of effective instruction that leads to student
standing in the way of progress, it won’t begin to learning. Together, we can address the issues or
happen at all if everyone avoids the barrier. If a coach challenges that face us in achieving this goal. In that
has established a trusting relationship with teachers, sense, it is a journey worth taking.
teachers will be the first ones to bring “the elephant out
The Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, a joint
project of IRA and NCTE, provides coaches with
DON’T: Put your office near the principal’s office.
many additional resources to make their work
You may be considered more of an administrator than
successful. Please take time to explore the website
a coach. DO: Try to put your office in a busy location.
(www.literacycoachingonline.org).
I am near the student’s bathroom. I can’t count the
coaching opportunities I have had while the students
were using the bathroom. —Celeste Graham
5
What are the characteristics of
effective literacy coaching?
Nancy L. Shanklin, University of Colorado at Denver & Health
Sciences Center
We are going to get a literacy coach! Principals and district leaders
are often ecstatic when they obtain funding for literacy coach
positions. Really, this is only the first step. Next, they ponder what
they want to look for in a literacy coach. Starting to interview,
they learn that finding a well-qualified coach is not so easy. What
qualifications make sense in the first place? Often, it is a relief when
they find someone that they like. The literacy coach him/herself
is thrilled to have this new opportunity to impact teachers’ and
students’ learning. Once in the literacy coach position, the coach
must figure out how to define and develop the literacy coaching
program for a building. Often a coach’s job becomes very broadly
defined, and there is danger that s/he many not succeed because
so much is expected. The coach does not have time to focus on
what can really make a difference to teachers’ learning and their
subsequent instruction of children and adolescents. A recent
survey by Cathy Roller on the “The Roles and Qualifications of
the Reading Coach in the United States” outlines all of the ways
literacy coaches currently find their time used (2006).
Perhaps, it is best to step back from discussions of qualifications
of literacy coaches and roles they might fill to defining effective
literacy coaching. If we know what effective coaching is, then we
may be in a better position to determine qualifications and craft
more detailed job descriptions. We can also begin to link literacy
coaching to the broader areas of teachers’ professional learning
and school renewal. We need to learn whether coaching leads to
changes in teachers’ instructional practices and then to increased
literacy achievement for children and adolescents. There is
growing evidence that it does (Paglinco, Bach, Hovde, Rosenblum,
Saunders, & Supovitz, 2003).
The Advisory Board of the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse
suggests six characteristics that define effective literacy coaching.
These characteristics can guide districts and schools to think
carefully about the qualifications of the literacy coaches they hire,
the realistic roles for coaches to fill, and the support systems that
coaches need to be successful. Many of these points will be the
topics of future Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse (LCC) briefs.
Effective literacy coaching:
1. Involves collaborative dialogue for teachers at all levels of
knowledge and experience.
The efforts of a literacy coach need to be available to all members
of a school regardless of their knowledge about particular topics
or years of teaching experience. A coach often forms and then
meets with cohorts of teachers—particularly those from a specific
grade level or discipline. In such cohorts teachers of all levels of
September 27, 2006
experience and knowledge can learn from one another. Without
involving everyone in coaching opportunities, a school has little
ability to become a learning community that makes coordinated
decisions about instruction and how to meet students’ needs.
In some school districts, there is a belief that “all” educators
in a district ought to have a coach. Everyone can become more
reflective about work and improve its quality. Such a focus also
honors teachers’ decision-making roles in teaching—whether
they are working with particular commercial programs, planning
guides, or implementing their own unit designs to meet district and
state standards.
2. Facilitates development of a school vision about literacy
that is site-based and links to district goals.
Part of the work of a literacy coach is to partner with both a
principal and teachers to facilitate a school’s development of a
sound vision about students’ literacy learning and then to develop
the capacity and structures to realize that vision. To this end, a
literacy coach will share important research that bears upon
instructional practices and concerns. S/he will also help teachers
design inquiries to answer their own questions, as individual
teachers or teams. A good coach will also make every effort to
answer principal questions about quality literacy assessment and
instruction. In addition, a coach often acts as a liaison between the
school and the district, communicating views of literacy goals in
each direction (Toll, 2006).
3. Is characterized by data-oriented student and teacher
learning.
In effective literacy coaching, the focus of the interactions
between teachers and a literacy coach is guided by analysis of
students’ learning. This analysis stems from examining both test
data and actual student work in classrooms. A good coach suggests
assessments and helps teachers learn to administer them, to interpret
the data, and to design instruction from the information gained.
Finally, s/he helps teachers learn to monitor students’ progress.
A coach encourages teachers to understand students’ individual
needs and to differentiate instruction for individuals or groups of
students. This process may include helping to develop Response
to Intervention programs and coaching teachers in methods to be
used in such programs (Allen, 2006; Hasbrouck, 2005).
A good coach, in turn, encourages teachers to reflect upon their
use of use evidence-based methods and to inquire into their own
teaching as well as students’ learning. A coach will help teachers
form important questions about their instruction and explore new
answers, particularly through study groups, data collection in
their own classrooms, observations of demonstration teaching,
or participation in other visitation structures facilitated by the
coach (Casey, 2006).
1
4. Is a form of ongoing, job-embedded professional learning
that increases teacher capacity to meet students’ needs.
Literacy coaches work side-by-side with teachers during the school
day—at group meetings and in teachers’ individual classrooms.
Effective literacy coaching helps teachers begin to work new
practices into their everyday instruction, fit new practices to the
students who most need them, and observe the effects of such
altered practice. These nuanced changes require more than just
professional development sessions that teachers attend after
school, on professional development days, or on weekends. With
the literacy coach on site, much of the work happens during the
school day—at the point of need. This process embodies important
features of adult learning and fits the lives of today’s teachers. It
helps to nurture a climate of continuous professional learning.
student work or inquiry studies into particular questions that are of
interest to teachers or the school as a whole.
Sometimes a coach may simply offer encouragement to a teacher
or reinforce that a teacher’s idea is a good one. Such efforts can
boost a teacher’s self-efficacy. Other times a coach may influence
instruction by suggesting text sets a teacher might use or ways to
incorporate additional forms of media, music, or the arts. At still
other times, a coach may suggest ways that a lesson can be made
more culturally relevant. All of these efforts assist in thoughtful
implementation of a school’s literacy program and literacy
curricula.
5. Involves classroom observations that are cyclical and that
build knowledge over time.
Both teachers and literacy coaches themselves report that inclassroom coaching is the activity where coaches’ work has the
potential for most impact (Coggins, Stoddard, & Cutler, 2003). A
design that has been quite effective is for a coach to work with
a particular group of teachers for a period of time, usually about
eight weeks, through study groups, modeling of lessons, and inclassroom coaching. After that time the coach would move on
to work intently with another group of teachers, while keeping
in touch with the first group via periodic study group meetings,
e-mail, short chats, etc. This format
Figure 1. Characteristics of Effective Literacy Coaching &
allows the coach to work in teachers’
Links to the Role of the Literacy Coach
classrooms for two to four visits that are
close together. For example, in working
Characteristics of Effective
Role of a Literacy Coach at the Building
with a second grade team of teachers,
Literacy Coaching
Level
this model would allow a coach to
model lessons for teachers, to work with
Involves collaborative dialogue for
Is careful to include all teachers regardless of
teachers as co-teachers, and then for the
teachers at all levels of knowledge knowledge and experience in professional learning.
teacher to move to implementing new
and experience in a building.
techniques along with feedback from
Facilitates development of a school May lead, or is a member of, the school literacy
the coach.
vision about literacy that is sitecommittee. Helps a school determine qualities of
As an agent of job-embedded professional development, a literacy
coach will lead teachers in study groups during planning periods.
S/he may work with a teacher in his/her own classroom to model
a new lesson. Finding creative ways to free up other teachers, a
coach may lead pre-observations, observations, and debriefs of
others’ lessons. Sometimes a coach will take over a class so that a
teacher can visit another teacher’s classroom. Besides facilitating
book study groups, a coach may lead groups in examinations of
based and links to district goals.
excellent literacy instruction that it wants to strive
for. Answers questions of and advises the school
principal about literacy learning. Facilitates teacher
study groups. Leads or organizes other professional
learning opportunities around literacy instruction.
Is characterized by both evidencebased student and teacher
learning.
Helps teachers examine student work, suggests
assessments, models and gives assessments,
interprets data, may enter data, assists in Response
to Intervention efforts. Evaluates coaching efforts
and other professional development offerings.
Is a form of on-going, jobembedded professional learning.
Works to embed professional learning in the
context of the school. Works along side teachers
during the day. Implements sound practices for
adult learning. Helps teachers keep professional
learning going after coaching cycles end.
Involves classroom observations
that are cyclical and knowledge
building over time.
Understands gradual release of responsibility. Helps
teachers develop means to reflect upon their own
teaching and make improvements. Understands
differences in the literacy strategies needed for
particular content disciplines.
Is supportive rather than
evaluative.
Helps teachers uncover areas where growth is
needed. Assists teachers in being reflective about
their own teaching. Understands gradual release
and approximation of new learning.
September 27, 2006
At the middle and high school level,
a good literacy/instructional coach
also understands the specific literacy
demands of each discipline. The coach
is able to assist teachers in assessing
the literacy skills that students already
have in a particular content area and in
learning ways to help students become
more independent learners in the
discipline (Standards for Middle and
High School Literacy Coaches, 2006).
6. Is supportive rather than
evaluative.
In today’s world, almost all professions
require continual professional learning.
Teaching is no exception. Research
leads to new findings about student
learning and best practice. District and
state standards demand close adherence
to benchmarks, and sometimes teachers
need to learn new methods for helping
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students to meet them. Additionally, new commercial programs are
introduced, and teachers need help learning how to make decisions
that would use them effectively (Walpole & McKenna, 2004).
Finally, teachers can find themselves working in neighborhoods
where populations are changing and with them the cultures,
languages, and learning needs of the students and their families
(Kise, 2006).
In such a quickly changing world, teachers need the help of an
intermediate figure, such as a literacy coach, who can help them
learn new methods in a supportive manner (Coggins at al, 2003).
Others, at higher administrative levels, can still play an evaluative
role at a later point—once it seems realistic to expect that new
methods have been implemented.
The literacy coach plays a very important role in realizing the
literacy vision of a school through its actual implementation in
classrooms. In literacy coaching, teachers may receive support
from a coach with implementation of a method that they have
individually chosen to work on, or that a study group has agreed
to work on. At other times, the coaching may focus on the
implementation of a particular program and the methods within
it. In this later case, teachers may identify particular problems
to work on or already know specific areas that the coach will be
observing for and providing helpful feedback about.
Coaches also need to recognize the roles that risk-taking and
gradual approximation play as teachers perfect new instructional
methods. Effective coaching will recognize individual differences
in teachers. Some will need more explicit assistance while others
simply need reassurance and recognition. All types of coaching
need to be supportive rather than evaluative if they are to produce
desirable changes in practice.
These qualities of effective literacy coaching start to suggest how
a literacy coach’s role in a school ought to be constructed. Figure 1
begins to draw the link between characteristics of effective literacy
coaching and the actions of a literacy coach. It is important that
a coach have enough time built into his or her schedule to make
cyclical classroom observations if s/he is to impact individual
teacher instruction. Exactly how many times and over what period
of time classroom observations need to occur is an empirical
question about which research is needed. It may also link to
individual teacher’s beliefs, ways of learning, knowledge, and
experience, and the depth and range of students’ learning needs.
An additional helpful resource for literacy coaches, administrators,
teachers, policy makers, state departments of education, and
parents is the website of the Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse:
http://www.literacycoachingonline.org.
September 27, 2006
References
Allen, J. (2006). Becoming a literacy leader: Supporting learning
and change. Portland, ME: Stenhouse.
Casey, K. (2006). Literacy coaching: The essentials. Portsmouth,
NH: Heinemann.
Coggins, C., Stoddard, P., & Culter, E. (2003). Improving
instructional capacity through school-based reform
coaches. Center for Research on the Context of
Teaching, Stanford University & Bay Area School
Reform Collaborative. EA 032 650, ED 478 744.
Hasbrouck, J., & Denton, C. (2005). The reading coach: A howto manual for success. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
Kise, J. (2006). Differentiated coaching: A framework for helping
teachers change. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Literacy Coaching Clearinghouse, http://www.
literacycoachingonline.org.
Paglinco, S., Bach, A., Hovde, K., Rosenblum, S., Saunders,
M., & Supovitz. J. (2003). The heart of the matter:
The coaching model in America’s Choice schools.
Consortium for Policy Research in Education,
University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of
Education.
The role and qualifications of the reading coach in the United
States. (2004). Newark, DE: International Reading
Association.
Roller, C. (2006). Reading and literacy coaches: Report on
hiring requirements and duties survey. Newark, DE:
International Reading Association.
Standards for middle and high school literacy coaches. ( 2006).
Newark, DE: International Reading Association in
collaboration with National Council of Teachers of
English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics,
National Science Teachers Association, and National
Council for the Social Studies.
Toll, C. (2006). Literacy coach’s desk reference: The processes
and perspectives for effective coaching. Urbana, IL:
National Council of Teachers of English.
Walpole, S., & McKenna, M. (2004). The literacy coach’s
handbook: A guide to research-based practice. NY:
Guilford Press.
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